Part 333

9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth.

Play actor, an actor of dramas. Prynne. -- Play debt, a gambling debt. Arbuthnot. -- Play pleasure, idle amusement. [Obs.] Bacon. -- A play upon words, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning. -- Play of colors, prismatic variation of colors. -- To bring into play, To come into play, to bring or come into use or exercise. -- To hold in play, to keep occupied or employed.

I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play.

Macaulay.

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||Pla"ya (?), n. [Sp.] A beach; a strand; in the plains and deserts of ||Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, a broad, level spot, on which ||subsequently becomes dry by evaporation. Bartlett.

Play"bill` (?), n. A printed programme of a play, with the parts assigned to the actors.

Play"book` (?), n. A book of dramatic compositions; a book of the play. Swift.

Play"day` (?), n. A day given to play or diversion; a holiday. Swift.

Play"er (?), n. 1. One who plays, or amuses himself; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler. Shak.

2. One who plays any game.

3. A dramatic actor. Shak.

4. One who plays on an instrument of music. "A cunning player on a harp." 1 Sam. xvi. 16.

5. A gamester; a gambler.

Play"fel`low (?), n. A companion in amusements or sports; a playmate. Shak.

Play"fere` (?), n. [Play + 1st fere.] A playfellow. [Obs.] [Also, playfeer, playphere.] Holinsheld.

Play"ful (?), a. Sportive; gamboling; frolicsome; indulging a sportive fancy; humorous; merry; as, a playful child; a playful writer. -- Play"ful*ly, adv. -- Play"ful*ness, n.

Play"game` (?), n. Play of children. Locke.

Play"go`er (?), n. One who frequents playhouses, or attends dramatic performances.

Play"go`ing, a. Frequenting playhouses; as, the playgoing public. -- n. The practice of going to plays.

Play"ground` (?), n. A piece of ground used for recreation; as, the playground of a school.

Play"house` (?), n. [AS. pleghs.] 1. A building used for dramatic exhibitions; a theater. Shak.

2. A house for children to play in; a toyhouse.

Play"ing, a. & vb. n. of Play.

Playing cards. See under Card.

Play"mak`er (?), n. A playwright. [R.]

Play"mate` (?), n. A companion in diversions; a playfellow.

Play"some (?), a. Playful; wanton; sportive. [R.] R. Browning. -- Play"some*ness, n. [R.]